U.S. patent number 5,114,412 [Application Number 07/401,434] was granted by the patent office on 1992-05-19 for magnetic bladder cycler.
Invention is credited to David E. Flinchbaugh.
United States Patent |
5,114,412 |
Flinchbaugh |
May 19, 1992 |
Magnetic bladder cycler
Abstract
A bladder cycler is provided with a magnetic valve for hospital,
clinical and home-care use in emptying of the bladder of a patient
through a catheter. Fully automatica or automatic with manual
override operation are provided for opening and closing a valve to
empty the bladder of urine when necessary.
Inventors: |
Flinchbaugh; David E. (Orlando,
FL) |
Family
ID: |
22898098 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/401,434 |
Filed: |
April 20, 1989 |
PCT
Filed: |
November 07, 1988 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/US88/03929 |
371
Date: |
April 20, 1989 |
102(e)
Date: |
April 20, 1989 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/247;
128/DIG.25; 251/65 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
5/4405 (20130101); A61F 5/441 (20130101); Y10S
128/25 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61F
5/441 (20060101); A61F 5/44 (20060101); A61M
005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;604/8-10,118,129,247
;128/DIG.25 ;600/29,30 ;251/65 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hindenberg; Max
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Hultquist; Steven J.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A magnetic bladder cycler comprising:
a non-magnetic tubular housing;
a non-magnetic tubular inlet conveyance positioned concentrically
to the axis of an inlet end of the tubular housing;
a non-magnetic tubular outlet conveyance positioned concentrically
to the axis of an outlet end of the tubular housing;
a valve-port well positioned stationary within the tubular housing
between the inlet and outlet ends thereof and having a valve
orifice concentric to the axis of the tubular housing;
a valve member having an outside periphery greater than the inside
periphery of the valve orifice in slidable contact with the
portions of the inside periphery of the housing and positioned
between the valve-port wall and the outlet end of the tubular
housing;
selective magnetic attraction of the valve member in the direction
of the orifice in the valve-port wall;
a siphon-vent orifice positioned in the outlet end of the tubular
housing;
a upstream magnetic member in slidable contact with portions of the
inside periphery of the housing selectively upstream from the
valve-port wall within the housing;
a magnetic valve member with a magnetic pole facing in the
direction of an opposite magnetic pole of the upstream magnetic
member; and
a resilient member with selective expansion pressure between the
upstream magnetic member and the valve-port wall such that the
upstream magnetic member is slidable further upstream and magnetic
attraction between the two magnetic members is decreased further
when the two magnetic members are separated by pressure from fluid
mass and tissue resistance within the bladder and resistance to
flow of fluid from the bladder during bladder-drainage cycles is
minimized.
2. A bladder cycler in accordance with claim 1 and further
comprising:
an upstream abutment positioned selectively upstream from the
upstream magnetic member within the housing;
upstream abutment fluid passageways in communication between the
inlet to the housing and fluid passageways at the inside periphery
of the housing in fluid communication between the upstream abutment
fluid passageways and the upstream side of the valve-port wall;
a downstream abutment positioned selectively downstream from the
magnetic valve member within the housing; and
downstream abutment fluid passageways in communication between the
outlet to the housing and fluid passageways at the inside periphery
of the housing in fluid communication between the downstream
abutment fluid passageways and the downstream side of the
valve-port wall.
3. A bladder cycler in accordance with claim 2 and further
comprising:
selectively rounded edges on the upstream magnetic member, the
upstream abutment, the upstream fluid passageways, the upstream
inlet conveyance, the magnetic valve member, the downstream
abutment, the downstream fluid passageways and the downstream
outlet conveyance.
4. A bladder cycler in accordance with claim 3 and further
comprising:
a sealable antibiotic input orifice in the housing upstream from
the upstream magnetic member.
5. A bladder cycler in accordance with claim 4 and further
comprising:
a fluid conveyance in communication between a siphon-vent orifice
positioned at a fluid outlet orifice at the outlet end of the
tubular housing and a position outward radially and upstream
linearly therefrom.
6. A bladder cycler in accordance with claim 5 wherein:
the siphon-vent orifice is large enough to allow entry of only a
sufficient amount of air to avoid siphon effect of fluid in
communication between a terminus of a conveyance and the outlet end
of the housing but not large enough to allow passage of a
sufficient amount of fluid through the siphon-vent orifice to
prevent a suction effect of fluid traveling in a direction of least
resistance to a lower elevation through an outlet conveyance
attached to the outlet end of the tubular housing.
7. A bladder cycler in accordance with claim 6 and further
comprising:
selectively magnetic insulative resilient material attached to the
surface of the slidable valve member such that magnetic contact
between the valve member and the wall is determined selectively
thereby and a selectively tight sealing surface is formed between
the insulative resilient material and the valve-port wall.
8. A bladder cycler in accordance with claim 7 and further
comprising:
a selectively small circumferential surface area of the valve-port
wall in contact with the magnetic valve member such that the
selectively small surface area of contact of the wall and the valve
member allows selectively small area onto which particulates in
fluid passing between them can accumulate and magnetic attraction
between the upstream magnetic member and the magnetic valve member
causes the selectively small surface area of the valve-port wall to
be pressured into the resilient material for maximized sealing
effect.
9. A bladder cycler in accordance with claim 8 and further
comprising:
a strainer material attachable to an inlet orifice of the siphon
vent conveyance.
10. A bladder cycler in accordance with claim 9 and further
comprising:
rounded outside edges of the outside periphery of the housing and
the inlet and outlet conveyances such that clothing, linen, human
flesh and other materials are not cut and scraped and portions
thereof accumulated with infestation effects at the outside
surfaces of the bladder cycler.
11. A bladder cycler in accordance with claim 10 and further
comprising:
a selectively-swivelable means for attachment of the housing to a
let of a person using the bladder cycler.
12. A bladder cycler in accordance with claim 11 and further
comprising:
an outlet conveyance having an outside periphery shaped and sized
to be inserted into and held snugly by the inside diameter of
medical tubing in fluid communication between the outlet conveyance
and a bladder fluid collector; and
an inlet conveyance having an outside periphery shaped and sized to
be inserted into and held snugly by the inside diameter of medical
tubing in fluid communication between the inlet conveyance and a
tubular attachment portion of a bladder drainage tube.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a bladder drainage cycler and method of
use. It is a hospital, clinical or home-care medical instrument for
draining urine from bladders of patients automatically, thoroughly
and antiseptically when necessary to bypass natural bladder
drainage.
2. Background Information
Hospital instruments and procedures for draining bladders of
patients has evolved from constant uncycled drainage through
siphoning, suction and various types of cyclic methods. Fundamental
to an effective instrument and method is allowing the bladder to
fill reasonably and then draining it without a suction effect and
without allowing build-up or entry of infectious contaminants in
the drainage system.
Included in previous methods have been U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,602,448 and
2,860,636 which utilized a siphon in combination with a reservoir
to provide cyclic draining of the bladder. Pressure release in
these is controlled by raising the height of the device on a
bedside tree. It is subject to distortion by shifting and turning
of the patient and therefore, very undependable in addition to
being restrictive of the patient.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,124, a siphon leg is controlled by merely
attaching a catheter to a bedside tree at predetermined adjusted
height, which varies the pressure at which the bladder will drain
and provides a flutter valve near the patient to break the siphon
action of the system once the bladder has drained. In U.S. Pat. No.
4,230,102, a device for the draining of a bladder is shown in which
a T-joint has been placed on a catheter and has a pressure membrane
attached thereto in a large casing for actuating a pressure switch
which in turn actuates an electric motor driving a gear train and
cam. A cam follower is spring loaded to close the catheter for two
minute cycles upon actuation by the pressure switch to drain the
bladder. This type of device, however, is expensive and bulky and
positions an electrical apparatus adjacent to the catheter. In U.S.
Pat. No. 4,424,058, a spring-return valve is provided in
conjunction with a siphon-release orifice to prevent excessive
suction and to prevent urine from remaining in the system after
drainage. A problem with this system was that resistance of the
spring increased with distance of travel from a closed position.
This tended to cause some fluid to remain in the bladder because
only a full bladder would open it and only a relatively full
bladder would keep it open to allow complete drainage unless
overriden by the patient. Also, positioning of tubes leading from
it were parallel to the leg on which it was attached and provided a
situation for retention of fluid in the system.
This invention provides magnetic closing of a valve member with
decreased rather than increased closing pressure when opened. As
the bladder is emptied, decreasing head pressure against the valve,
therefore, can keep the valve open for more complete drainage than
can be provided by a resiliency-operated valve.
Valve-closing pressure decreases as a result of three factors: (1)
magnetic pull of a valve decreases as its open distance from
magnetic attraction in the direction of a valve seat increases, (2)
fluid passing through the system provides a partial insulation
which tends to decrease magnetic attraction between magnetic
members, and (3) an optional spring in one of the embodiments of
the invention causes the magnetic members to be further apart when
the valve opens.
In addition, one of the embodiments of the invention provides
convenient manual override to decrease or eliminate totally the
magnetic closing pressure of the valve.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A bladder drainage wafer valve member is magnetically attracted
towards a valve-port wall. Head pressure of urine in a bladder and
in a drainage tube from the bladder to the valve where it is
positioned on a patient's leg causes the valve to open away from
the valve-port wall. When the valve is opened, distance increases
between the valve member and a member to which it is magnetically
attracted in the direction of the valve-port wall. An optional
spring moves the member to which it is attracted yet further away
and further decreases the magnetic attraction, thereby allowing the
valve to remain open with less pressure than required to open it.
Fluid passing between the open valve and the member to which it is
attracted magnetically decreases further yet the closing pressure
to offset the head-pressure opening of the valve.
Downstream from the valve, there is a siphon-release air-inlet
orifice that relieves siphon pressure to avoid siphon suction that
would either cause collapse of the bladder walls or cause the valve
to remain open after the bladder is emptied. An air inlet to the
siphon-release orifice is positioned upstream and radially outward
from an outlet to the valve in order to prevent passage of fluid
from the valve where siphon pressure does not provide sufficient
inward suction of air. The siphon-release orifice is provided with
an antiseptic strainer and a low-pressure one-way inlet valve.
Optional embodiments of this invention provide manual override of
the valve by selective distancing of a magnetic member from the
valve member that is attracted to it. This gives flexibility of
pressure adjustment and provides the opportunity of assuring full
drainage when desired.
A swivelable attachment of the bladder cycler to a strap on a
patient's leg allows it to be positioned at a slant with the outlet
and tubes leading from it downward from the valve to further assure
that fluid will not remain in the system between drainage cycles
whether used in either a prone or vertical position of the leg.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The objects, features and advantages of this invention will be
apparent from the written description of the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a cutaway side view of a fully automatic drainage
embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-section view designated as 2'2' through position
2--2 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-section view designated as 3'3' through position
3--3 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a cross-section view designated as 4'4' through position
4--4 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a top view of the center section of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a cutaway side view of a variable control embodiment of
this invention;
FIG. 7 is a cross-section view designated as through position DD in
FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a cutaway side view of the variable control embodiment
shown in FIG. 6;
FIG. 9 is a sectional cutaway end view of two separate means for
controlling the head pressure required to open the valve in the
embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 6;
FIG. 10 is a side view of a patient's leg with either embodiment
strapped to it in a slanted position.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, a magnetic valve member 1 is magnetically
attracted in the direction of valve-port wall 2 having valve seat 3
at an outlet end of valve orifice 4. The magnetic valve member can
be attracted magnetically to either the valve-port wall or to an
upstream magnetic member 5. Magnetic attraction can be provided by
composition of either or both the valve member and the upstream
magnetic member. Optionally and preferably, the magnetic valve
member and the upstream magnetic member both are magnetic and the
valve-port wall is non-magnetic. When either the valve-port wall or
the magnetic base member have magnetic force and the magnetic valve
member also has magnetic force, opposite poles of each are facing
each other.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, channel ridges 6 at the inside
periphery of non-magnetic housing 7 provide fluid passage linearly
between them from side-to-side of first the magnetic base member
and then the magnetic valve member.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 4 and 6, stopper shoulders 8 are provided to
arrest travel of the magnetic valve member at a select distance of
travel from the valve-port wall.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, the valve-port wall is provided with an
optional valve-seat ridge 9 for reduction of valve-seat area to
reduce area for accumulation of particulates in fluid passing
through the system and for providing a relatively smaller surface
for tightly seating into the valve member. A resilient non-magnetic
valve surface 10 can be provided for increased seating pressure and
for selectively decreased magnetic attraction in the direction of
the valve-port wall.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, inside corners of magnetic valve
members, inside corners of housing inlets 11, inside corners of
housing outlets 12 and all other corners possible can be rounded to
facilitate flow through the system and to prevent accumulation of
particulates in fluid passing through the system. Outside inlet
corners 13 and outlet corners 14 also can be rounded to prevent
scraping action that would tend to accumulate particles at the
outside and decrease cleanliness. In addition to being rounded, the
inside corners of the housing outlets can be angled from the inlet
connectors 15 and the outlet connectors 16 which can be selectively
tapered, ribbed or otherwise designed to receive and to hold
medical tubing.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, all components downstream to the right,
starting with the valve-port wall at a position designated as BB in
FIG. 1, can be the same for both embodiments illustrated, except
for size modifications and, therefore, are numbered the same for
both.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 upstream from the valve-port wall, a
positionable magnetic base member 17 with inside periphery of a
bearing orifice 18 is in slidable contact with the outside
periphery of bearing tube 19 which is extended between housing
inlet aperture 20 and the valve orifice in the valve-port wall.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 5, 6 and 8, medicine can be inserted into the
bladder and into the bladder cycler upstream from the valve member
by removal of an insertion plug 21 in insertion orifice 22.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8, a siphon air vent cover 23 can
be provided to hold and to protect a strainer 24 at the outside of
vent inlet orifice 25. A low-pressure vent valve 26 is opened
inwardly into vent aperture 27 with siphon suction negative
pressure from fluid passing through the housing outlets. This
feature of the invention can be the same for both embodiments
illustrated.
Typically for construction purposes, the vent valve can be
positioned at the outside periphery of a valve-port wall and the
vent aperture can be positioned in the outside periphery of an
outlet housing member 28 that is insertable during construction
assembly into an inlet housing member 29 after first inserting the
magnetic valve members and the valve-port wall. The assembly can be
either glued or fit snugly enough to remain assembled without
glue.
Referring to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, variability of pressure or
elimination of pressure to open the valve is provided by selective
manual positioning of a positional magnetic base member in this
embodiment of the invention. There are a variety of methods that
can be employed to position this magnetic base member manually and
cause it remain where positioned until moved again as desired. One
method can be with the use a circular control spring 30 in a
control channel 31 circumferentially around the outside periphery
of the magnetic base member. Traction members 32 in the control
channel at opposite sides of the bladder cycler are pressured
outward radially against the insider periphery 33 of the housing by
the spring. This provides traction to hold the magnetic base member
where positioned. Then to move the magnetic base member to a
position closer to or farther from the magnetic valve member, the
pressure of the spring against the inside periphery of the housing
is overcome by pressing a control button 34 at each side of the
cycler. The control buttons are connected to control stems 35 which
are connected to the traction members, such that a finger and a
thumb at opposite sides of the cycler can be used to relieve the
traction pressure and re-position the positionable magnetic base
member conveniently. The control stems can travel linearly in stem
apertures 36.
The traction member and the spring can be constructed of
non-magnetic materials and the spring can be formed of non-metallic
resilient material. The traction spring is held in an elliptical
form by the thickness of the traction members between the inside
periphery of the housing and the outside periphery of the resilient
member or ring-shaped control spring. Outward pressure of the
spring tending to become circular can be relieved and thus relieve
traction pressure against the inside periphery of the housing when
the buttons are both pressured inwardly. Balancing of pressure of
two fingers, one at each side of the cycler, does not move the
cycler when so utilized.
Head pressure to open the valve is decreased by pressing the button
inwardly and sliding the magnetic base member in the direction of
the housing inlet. The valve is totally released without any
magnetic pressure to hold the valve shut when the magnetic base is
slid to the extreme housing-inlet end of travel of the button stem
in the stem channels. Closing pressure of the valve is increased by
sliding the magnetic base member in a downstream direction toward
the housing outlet.
The magnetic base member never comes in contact with fluid in the
system because there is sealing at both ends of the bearing tube.
There is no need for rounded edges of the inlet nor of the magnetic
base member in this override embodiment of the invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, the magnetic base member can be either glued
or otherwise fixed in a position at a select distance from the
valve-port wall to achieve a pre-determined pressure requirement
for opening of the valve in opposition to magnetic attraction of
the base member and the valve. Alternatively, however, the magnetic
base member in FIG. 1 can be moveable by an automatic drainage
spring or other resilient member 37. When pressure from the weight
of fluid in the bladder and in the column from the bladder to the
bladder cycler cause the valve to open in opposition to the
magnetic attraction, the spring will cause the base member to move
upstream away from the valve member and thereby decrease further
the attraction between the two magnets. This allows more complete
emptying of the bladder contents. Although not
manually-controllable, this embodiment of the invention provides
some features of the controllable embodiment at a lower cost of
construction. A spring in this working relationship functions in
the opposite direction as springs used to close valves in prior-art
practices. It decreases rather than increases opening pressure of
the valve when pressure in the bladder is low from being partially
emptied.
Referring to FIG. 9, two alternative means are shown for
controlling the head pressure required to open the valve in the
embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 6. They can be
employed separately or together. Therefore, they are shown in the
same drawing figure. One is comprised of a bolt knob 38 with bolt
stem 39 that is threadable into the magnetic base member for
creating resistance pressure against the outside periphery of the
housing. The stem of the bolt would be slidable in a bolt aperture
40 similar to the apertures shown for sliding the two button
stems.
The other head-pressure control means is an offset cam-follower
member 41 which is inserted in a channel 42 similar to the channel
in which the ring-shaped spring is positioned in the magnetic base
member. The offset member is attached to cam-follower wheel 43
which is rotatable by rotational control knob 44 to cause the
magnetic base member to travel linearly.
Referring to FIGS. 8 and 10, a leg strap 45 is provided with a
swivel connection 46 that allows the bladder cycler to be
positioned when desired at a downward angle with respect to a leg
to which is attached. This allows a catheter or drainage tubing 47
and outlet tubing 48 to be positioned at a slant that provides
downward flow of fluid that otherwise could remain in the system
between drainage cycles.
* * * * *